Davit for lifeboats



March 3, 1936;. A; PAMEINELLA v 2,0339% DAVIT FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. 8, 1954 'T Sheets-Sheet l a BEBE A i March 3, 1936. A A A 2,033,000

DAVIT .FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. 8, 1954 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March a, 1936. A pmpi E A' 2,033,000

DAVIT FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 /n venfon:

arch 3, 1936. A. PAMPINELLA 2,033,000

DAVIT FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. -8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 1936. A. PAMPINELLA 2,033,000

DAVIT FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. 8, 1934 7 s s 5 5 F1 25 7 .'l "1'g.26 I

March 3, 1936. A PAMPINELLA 2,033,000

DAVIT FOR LIFEBOATS Filed Nov. 8, 1934 7 Sheets-Sheef 7 0 O 0 4 H9256 H a Inventor: 7 gm O/m2//Z Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED- STATES PATENT, OFFICE Application November 8 1934, Serial No. 752,160

In Italy November 10,- 1933 12 Claims.

This invention relates to a new type of automatic davits which provide for a quick, easy and sure means of lowering launches, also in the case of the ship having a list to the opposite side of launches.

The device is substantially formed by a couple of davits which first slide on guides forming an inclined plane, and afterwards, together with these guides, tip over, swinging the launch outboard; on this a gang-board is automatically disposed, allowing for an easy and safe way of embarking the passengers; the launch is then lowered, and as soon as it floats, it becomes unhooked from the tackles and is free to sail away.

All the above mentioned movements take place automatically by gravity, that is, simply owing to the weight of the launch, just veering away the falls, and for the whole operation only one person is needed.

In the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example some preferred embodiments of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of the davits according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a, front elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrows F2;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same looking to Fig. 2 in the direction .of the arrow F3, the dot- I ted lines showing the davits'while slipping outwards;

Fig. 4 shows the davits of Fig. 3 after their slipping and tipping movements, the dotted lines showing their initial position. In this view is also shown the gang-board automatically disposed on the launch by the tipping up of the uides.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of a davit arm;

Fig. 6 shows the'davit arm looked at in the direction of the arrow F6 of ,Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows the said davit looked at in the direction of the arrow F'!- of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the carriage of the davit arm;

Fig. 9 is a view of said carriage-looked at in the direction F9 of Fig. 8, together with the guides of the davit arm;

Fig. 10 is a side view of the guiding girder of a davit arm, and

Fig. 11 shows the same guiding girder looked at in the-direction of the arrow Fll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 isa detail view of the member that closes the top end of the guiding girder;

Fig. 13 isa detail viewshowing the way in which the guiding girder is pivotally fixed on the boat's deck;

Fig. 14 is a view of same, looked at in the direction of arrow F of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a front viewof the girder supporting means;

Fig. 16 is a view of the same supporting means looked at in the direction of the arrow FIE of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a side view of the gang-board together with its movable frame;

Fig. 18 is a view showing the gang-board and 10 its frame in their working position;

Fig. 19 isa front view of another embodiment of the davits according to the invention;

Fig. 20 is a side view of the davitsof Fig. 18 looking at this figure in the direction F20, of 15 Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a detail view of the gang-board and its associated parts, as adapted to be used in connection with the davits represented in Figures 19 and 20; v 20 Fig. 22 is a front view of another embodiment of the davits according to the invention in which the davits are shown in the position they have after the first tipping movement;

Fig. 23 shows in full lines the 22 looked at in the direction F23 of Fig. 22, the dotted lines showing the same davits in an inter-' mediate position between Fig. 23 and Fig. 24 positions;

Fig. 24 shows the davits of Figs. 22 and 23 in their working position;

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary enlarged side view of a beam for the above said davits;

Fig. 26 is a fragmentary front view of the beam shown in Fig. 25; Fig. 27 is a. plan view of the means for fasten-- ing the said beam to the deck;

Fig. 28 shows the said fastening means looked at in the direction of the arrow F28 of Fig. 27;

Fig. 29 shows in a reduced scale the same parts as Fig. 27 in the position they have when the beam has been released;

Fig. 30 shows one of the movable stanchions used in connection with the davits shown in Figures 22-24;

Fig. 31 shows the same stanchion looked at in the direction F3| of Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a front view of a type of davit according to the invention, for two boats;

Fig. 33 shows the same davits looked at in the direction F33 of Fig. 32;

Fig.-34 shows in full lines the same davits looked at in the direction F34 of Fig. 32, the dotted lines showing the davits in their outward position;

davits of Fig.

Fig. 35 is an end view of the winch for the two boat davits; I

Fig. 36 is a view of the said winch looked at in the direction F36 of Fig. 35, and

Fig. 37 is a plan view of the same.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 16, the device includes a couple of davits (Figs. 1-4), each formed by an arm I (Fig. 5) made of two iron plates suitably perforated for lightness, and so shaped as to fit the side of the launch 2 (Figs. 3-5). The two plates are joined at bottom and at back by a connecting strip of plate and are fastened together by bolts 3 (Figs. 5-7) which keep them conveniently apart so as to lodgebetween them the pulleys for the hoisting rope.

At the bottom end of the davit is fixed a piece 4 (Figs. 6, 13) strengthened by struts 5 (Figs. 5, 6). On piece 4 is fastened by means of screws a transversal bar 6 (Figs. 2, 5, 6, 13) which connects the two davits to render them rigid and prevent any oscillation due to-the pitching of the ship when, the lashings being loosened the whole weight of launch is applied to the head of the davits.

This bar 6 is preferably hollow and has a triangular cross section (Figs. 5, 14), the projecting edge being chamfered in the middle portion of the bar (Fig. 22) so that the launch may easily slip thereon when the ship is listed.

The base of each davit, on its inboard end, carries, perpendicularly to its vertical plane, two protruding pivots 1 (Figs. 8, 9) with tapped holes at the ends, which serve as axles to the rollers 8 (Figs. 5, 8, 9) which are provided on their outer face with a circular depression (Fig. 9) in which is lodged the stop screw fixed in the tapped hole on the associated pivot.

When the launch is in position of rest, the contact between it and the davit is made through a wooden piece 9 (Figs. 3-5) fixed on the curved portion of the davit, which has a shoulder Hi to receive the keel of the launch when this is shipped. This shoulder is also to act as a stop for the launch when the same is lowered with the ship listed to the opposite side, and precisely during the sliding movement of davits on the guides I, as in this phase the tackles would tend to slacken due to the said list. Such slackening of tackles is prevented by the launch going to rest on the aforementioned shoulders, and this is what allows for the sliding of davits even when the ship is unfavourably listed. In this condition, at a certain moment of the tipping over movement of the davits, the fall becomes again taut, and the launch is brought up close to the ends of the davits.

The end of the steel hoisting cable I2 is fixed on the running block |3 (Figs. 4-5), which carries a ring for engagement with the suspension hook l4 of the launch (Fig. 2), then passes over the pulleys 15, l3, l6, and I1 (carried by the davit) l3 (on the head of girder), ll), 20 (on the support of the girder), 2| (on the deck) and finally is wound over the winch drum 22 (Figs. 3, 5).

0n the upper portion of each davit are fixed two eye bolts (Figs. 3, 26) ;-to the eye bolt 23 is fixed the end of cable 24 which is provided to lash the launch against the davit and this to its support. For this purpose the lashing 24 carries on its free end a ring 25 (Figs. 3, 4) through which the stop rope 26 (Figs. 3, 16), one end of which is fixed on support 21 is made to pass once or more times being finally fastened to cleat 28 (Figs. 3, 16)

'To the other eye bolt 29 (Figs. 2, 19) is fixed the steel cable 30 which, besides helping to join the two davits serves to support the. tilt of the launch and carries the life lines.

The davit I have described slide's owing to gravity on the supporting girder (Figs. 3, 7, 9, 13) by means of its posterior truck formed by the two already mentioned pair of rollers 8 (Figs. 5, 8, 9) and roller 3| revolving on pin 32 which hinges the aforesaid girder H on base 33. To obtain such sliding motion, the girder is normally inclined outboard at 30 (Fig. 3), and is formed as follows:

Two iron guides whose cross section is U- shaped are held together, at a proper distance, at the front by an internal plate 34 (Figs. l0, l1) which serves as a. stop for the truck at the end of the sliding movement of davit, and at the back by an external transversal plate 35 fastened under the guides, leaving open the ends of same for introducing the above mentioned truck of the davit when assembling the device.

Having introduced the truck, the box shaped piece 36 (Figs. 11, 12) is fixed in place by four screws which afford strength to the girder. This box shaped piece carries pulley It.

The girder is hinged on base 33 (Figs.;4, 13, 14) which is fixed on the edge of the boats deck 31, and its inboard end rests on support 21 (Fig. 3) the height of which is such as to maintain the girder inclined at 30". On pin 32 is rotatably *mounted the above mentioned roller. 3| (Figs.

The said support 21 (Figs. 3, 15, 16) is made of a U section iron plate, in the hollow space of which are mounted two pulleys, the top one l9 (Fig. 16) receiving cable l2 (Fig. 4) from pulley |8 on the inclined girder and the bottom one 20 (Fig. 16) guiding said cable to pulley 2| (Fig. 3) fixed on the deck, from which it is wound on drum of winch 22 (Figs. 1, 3).

The top end of the support 21 is fork shaped and the girder is received between the fork arms 38 (Figs. l5, 16) which prevent any movement due to the pitching. Two rigid struts 39 (Figs. 4, 15, 16) fixed on the deck strengthen the support against strain from pull of cable l2. The support carries the cleat 28 (Figs. 4-16) on which is fixed the stop rope 26 as already described.

Half way between the two girders and on the edge of deck, is hinged the embarking gangboard 40 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, 1'1, 18) This consists of a rectangular board of convenient size, controlled by a frame 4| of lightened sheet iron, so shaped as to come to a stop on deck at an angle of 30 (Fig. 17), same as the girders by which it is controlled in the tipping over motion, by two small steel cables 42 (Figs. 2, 1'7, 18).

When the outboard tipping is completed, frame 4| remains vertical (Fig. 18) and holds the weight of the gang-board by means of two arms 43, which turn on the same pin as the frame, and are each guided by the guides 44 and 45 which act as stops, one of them being fixedly mounted on a strut fastened on the deck, and the other on the lower portion of the frame 4|.

During the first portion of travel of frame 4|, the guides 45 move, but not so arms 43. When the ends of these reach the bottom of guides, they are carried along, and stop only when they reach the top end of guides 44. Besides the steel cable 42 (Figs. 2, 26) between the support 4| and girders other steel cables 46 are stretched as a guard rail for passengers.

The gang-board is provided also with handrails 41 (Fig. 18) formed by rods pivoted with each other in the form of a parallelogram, so as to follow the movement of launch during the rolling of ship. The movement of the gang-board is limited to the position in which the two pieces forming each hanger 48 are in alignment.

A small hemp rope 49 passing through a hole on frame 4| serves to lower the gang-board on launch, and is provided with a diampnd knot 50 which acts as a stop for the rope so as to provide for a certain amount of slack when said rope is hauled in for normal position, so that when the gang-board is tipped over with the girders, it assumes an initial inclination outboard, from which position it may be lowered onto the launch by its own weight. The cleat 5| fixed on one side of frame 4|, serves to make fast the aforesaid hemp rope. If the gang-board should not fall spontaneously due to an unfavourable list of the ship, it could be pushed over by the boatmen who are the first to embark:

Each running block I3 (Fig. 5) has on top a transversal rod 68 which comes to bear against the head of davit when the lifting operation of launch is ended. Then commences the inboard swinging of davits.

The winch 22 (Figs. 1-3) for the winding of the hoisting cables, is provided with two parallel drums of equal diameter with a spiral groove out therein to fit cables, revolving on brackets fixed on deck. The winch shall have a hand brake to regulate speed of drums when lowering the launch, and an electric motor for hoisting same. It must be possible to effect hoisting also by hand, in one of the known ways for working a winch both by hand and by means of an electric motor.

The automatic davits just described are operated by one person who has to effect the following operations To lower the launch:

(a) The operator loosens the stop ropes 26 (Fig. 3) or the like, which keep taut the lashings 24;

(b) He eases the winch brake; the davits carrying the launch, due to their inclination, will slide on the girders. At the end of their run, together with the girders they will tip over, until their outboard ends rest against the side of ship, or against a special frame which could be placed thereon.

Simultaneously the gang-board will have tipped over, and it will be brought to bear on the launch wash-board by paying out the rope 49 (Fig. 18) this can be done by one of the boatmen, who are the first to embark.

As soon as the tipping over movement is completed, brake is applied to the winch and the embarking of passengers takes place.

Immediately that this is finished, the cables are paid out until the launch, having reached the sea, is unhooked from the tackles.

To hoist launch:

(a) The launch is brought under the tackles and the suspension hooks, which must be in hooking condition, will be engaged with the running blocks;

(b) The electric winch is started; the launch is vertically lifted until the cross rods '68 of running blocks coast with the davits; these thentip inwardly until they come at rest on their supports 21 (Fig. 3). Meanwhile also the gang-board is tipped inwardly, and then the davits carrying the launch slide up the girders and as soon as they come to the end of their run the winch is stopped;

(c) Lashings 24 (Fig. 3) are passed round launch and made fast, when winch is made to unwind slightly to ease tension on falls and defi- I nitely stopped.

Should electric motor become unutilized, the 5 launch shall be hoisted by hand, which naturally will be much slower work than when using the motor.

The device I have so far described,'will naturally occupy space on the boat's deck. On liners this can be obviated, by having the whole device house, before being made fast to cleat 28 fixed on the bracket, shall pass on hook 12 on the davitin order that it may exert a downward pull.

When adopting this superelevated arrange ment, the movable support which controls the gang-board, must also have its supporting uprights 13 superelevated (Figs. 19-21). The passengers, to reach the gang-board, will need climb a small ladder 14 fixed on the deck, and having, at its lower end, two uprights 15 which support the hand-rails 16 which are joined to those 41 of the gang-board.

The superelevated support 4| has two guide pins 11 at the sides which run in slots in uprights 13; these slots are of such a length as to act as stops to the pins in their travel from all inboard position of device, to all outboard.

In this embodiment of the invention, the guard rail 46, which in this instance is formed of rigid bars, will be fixed on edge of deck, and its height will be limited by the uprights of the girders and support, and will have intermediate stiffening stanchions -18.

This type of tipping over davits allows for the adoption of a device which, after the passengers have taken place in theIaunch, automatically causes another swinging movement of the davitsin order to move away the launch from side of ship (Figs. 22-31). With this device, each girder (Figs. 23, 25, 26) on which the associated davit slides, is hinged to the top end of an iron beam 19 the lower end of which is hinged to the edge of the lower deck (Fig. 23). The beam 19 is formed by two pieces connected together in a spaced relation by suitable plates. I

Upon slackening of the tackles for lowering the launch, the pieces 4 (Figs. 6, 22, 23) at the front ends of the davits, as soon as the tipping over movement is completed, come to rest against the ends of these beams, which, always due to the weight of launch, swing outward, getting the launch clear from side of ship, until the articulated arms 8| (Figs. 23, 24,), which join said beams to the boat's deck, come into action.

Where the pieces 4 hit against the beams, a notch 82 (Fig. 25) is cut so as to prevent undue movement of davits. To further prevent any possible tipping inwards of davits, these are blocked in the notch by a hook 83 (Figs. 24, 25) moved by a parallelogram transmission placed on one side of. iron beams.

This parallelogram transmission is controlled by a lever 84 (Fig. 15) on top side of same. When the iron beams are hardup against ship, this lever coacts with a bracket 55 mounted below the boat's 7| deck; when the beams initiate their out and down.- ward movement, the levers 84 come away from the relevant brackets 85 and leave their associated hooks free to lower and block the davits, owing to weight of parallelogram; this weight, if necessary, can be increased by a bar of lead fixed on the vertical piece 86 (Fig. 25) of the parallelogram.

The top end connecting plate of each beam 19, carries a hook 81' (Figs. 23, 25, 27-29) which looks to, or frees from deck the iron beam by means of the following device: a metal plate 88 (Fig. 27) fork-shaped in its front side, is fixed to the deck. When the iron beam is up, it fits exactly between the arms of the fork which holds it against any movement due to the pitching of ship. The plate 88 carries, in alignment with hook 81, a shackle 89 which, when in the dotted lines position on Fig. 33, engages the hook in the moment when lever 94 comes against bracket 85. Hook 8! comes even further in when the davit slides up its girder. In this second position, having first passed the stop rope 26 through the ring on lashing 24, the shackle is thrown inwards (position of full lines in Fig. 27) and hook 81 is blocked by a small lever 90, which is held in position by a circular segment moved by a lever 9|.

With this type of automatic davits, the gangboard and its guide rails stay on board, whilst the davits, hinged on the iron beams 19, get clear from side of ship. For this purpose, the following device is provided.

The control rope of the movable support of the gang-board, and the ropes forming the guardrail, are stretched between each side of the supportitself, and a special stanchion 92 (Fig. 26) reinforced by longitudinal and side struts, this last with a pin 93 (Figs. 24, 30) moving in a circular guide on the fixed base of the stanchion, and serves to stop the stanchion in its two extreme positions; vertical, and inclined at 30, same as the guiding girders. A

Each stanchion 92 is connected to girder ll of therelevant davit by a projection 94 (Figs 22, 27, 30) on the girder which fits in a fork 95 movably mounted on the stanchion. This fork 95 (Figs. 22, 30) has a stem that slides in two lugs on said stanchion. The downward sliding is caused by gravity, and the upward sliding by means of a spade shaped lever 96 fulcrumed on the cross strut of the stanchion. The stems lower end is provided with a perpendicular extension 91 which during the tipping over movement of the stanchion, slides on the circular segment 98 (Figs. 30, 31) on the base of same. This segment is so shaped as to allow for the falling down of the fork when the stanchion assumes a perpendicular position with respect to the deck. The 'end of extension 91 comes against the external side of segment 98 (Fig. 30) blocking the associated stanchion against inward movements. At the same time the girders are freed from the stanchions for the outboard swing together with the iron beams, as soon as stop levers (Fig. 35) are removed. The stanchions remain, as stated above, blocked on board with all the gang-board device, with which they are always connected.

The davits I am now considering have each, .between the two pulleys I5 and I6 for the hoisting cable, a third pulley, whose object is to keep clear the tackle even in themost protruding position of davits.

The davits are operated by one person only in the following way:

To lower the launch at sea:

tip over with the frame shaped support of the gang-board, and this last is slipped on the launch by means of the hemp rope 49 (Fig. 18). The girders II are automatically disconnected from their respective stanchions 92 as the forks (Figs. 30, 31) have already descended by gravity, blocking simultaneously the stanchions to their uprights and therefore to the ship. Now the brake is applied to the winch to allow the passengers to embark, whilst the operator swings the levers 9| (Figs. 27, 28) to free the blocking members 90 that hold the beams to the deck. All the passengers having embarked, lowering away is resumed and the rotation of beams commences (Fig. 23), which clears the launch from side of ship until arms 8| come into action (Fig. 24). The launch then reaches the surface of the water. At the commencement of this second phase, the davi s are stopped in the notches 82 on the iron beams by the hooks 83. The unhooking of launch happens automatically or by hand, as said before.

To hoist launch:

(a) The launch is brought under the falls: the hooks are hooked to the running blocks; on board the gang-board is lifted if necessary.

(b) The winch is started and launch is hoisted; when the cross rods 68 (Fig. 5) of running blocks come up against the davits, the iron beams 19 rotate towards ship, until they come up against edge of boat deck; simultaneously the lever pieces 84 (Fig. 23) coact with brackets 85 (Figs. 23, 25) lifting the hooks 83 which free the davits for their inboard tipping. As soon as each lever 94. has come up against bracket 95, the shackle 99 which has previously been turned outwards, comes into action engaging hook 81 and blocking the iron beams 50- as to prevent them tipping outwards through rolling of ship.. The winch is stopped, and by means of the'spadeshaped lever 96 (Fig. 30) the fork 95 is lifted so that it engages the projection on the girder (Figs. 26, 30) with which the stanchion must be tipped inboard. The spade shaped lever is stopped by a pin.

Keeping the winch hoisting, the davits tip inboard till they come to rest ontheir supports 21 (Fig. 3); lashings 24 are then passed under the launch and made fast by their stop ropes. 26..

In this phase of movement, the girders have dragged with them the stanchions and therefore the frame or support of the gang-board, which will take its position of rest.

The automatic davits according to the invention may be so made as to be available for two launches 2 and 99 respectively (Figs. 32, 33, 34). which are swung simultaneously outboard and lowered at sea one after the other, only one operator being necessary for the job.

This is obtained by building the davits with two arms and double set of tackles, the hoisting cables being wound separately over two couples of 'drums of equal diameter, belonging to the same shaft of one of the drums.

launch isoperated by a lever lfll, and the other,

couple of drums by a lever I02 (Fig. 37).

The blocking device for each couple of drums comprises a pawl I03 (Fig. 35) mounted on the winch frame and a ratchet-wheel I04 fixed to the The other features of the davits for two launches are the same as described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention with the only difference that, besides the automatic gang-board 40 (Fig.

36) being made longer owing to the greater dis tance of the upper launch from boats deck 31, and that is needed for embarking passengers fromthis deck into the upper launch, there is a second gang-board I05 manually operated by the sailors of the lower launch and serving for embarking in this launch the passengers from the promenade deck 80. v

The double arm davits for two launches work as follows (one person only always needed).

To lower launches:

(a) Keeping coupled the winch drums on which are wound the cables of both launches, the lashings having been loosened, the winch brake is eased: the davits will now slide on guides and top over as usual.

On the upper launch 2, which is now at the --level of the boats deck, the gang-board 40 (Fig.

34) automatically falls, whilst on the lower launch 99, which is now at the level of the promenade deck, the boatmen lower the other nonautomatic gang-board I05. Brake is then applied to the winch.

From both decks passengers are simultaneously embarked, whilst the winch operator uncouples by means of lever l0l (Fig. 37) the set of drums working the upper launch, and blocks them by means of the relevant pawl I03. He then eases the brake on winch to lower at sea the inferior launch, after which he again applies brake to the winch, and, by means of lever I02, uncouples the drums of the launch that has been lowered, and blocks them by means of the relevant pawl I03, and operating lever lfll couples the other set.

As soon as the lower launch has sailed away, i

he eases the brake to lower the upper launch.

To hoistlaunches, the whole operation is inverted.

To lower one launch only, the way of proceeding is identical, the inferior launch being lowered. With this type of davits for two launches, the

stress on cables. is the same, because the two couples of cables concur simultaneously to the working of davits; the winch alone must be more powerful than the one for one launch only, as the,

power needed for the inboard tipping of davits, and for their sliding up the guides, is increased by the weight of the second launch and by the greater sizes of davits.

Although some embodiments of this invention have been described in detail, this has been done by way of example only, as in practice various modifications may be adopted without departing from the scope of the invention,

What I claim is:

1. 'A device for launching boats from avessel comprising a track extending to the ships, side,

outer support whereby the track is downwardly inclined outboard, the track being pivoted toa fixed point of the outer support and resting freely on the inner support, a davit slidably'mounted' on said support and means for'retaining said davit in its inboard position, whereby upon re}; lease of said retaining means the davit will slidef outboard on the track and the track on its pivot to a vertical position.

2. In a device 'for launching boats from a Vessel, a pair of davits, a track girder for each of said davits, means for supporting said trackgirders at a substantial inclination downwardly toward the vessels side to which means said track girder is pivotally attached at a fixed point 'at its outer end its inner end resting freely on the supporting meanspeaoh of said davits having a base slidably secured to said track-girder and an arm perpendicular to said base, means for suspending a boat from thefree end of said arm, and means for confining said davit to the inner will revolve end of the track girder whereby when said last named means is released the davits automaticallyand resting on the other support of the same pair,

stop means preventing the girder from passing beyond alignment with the support to which it is pivoted, a davit having a base slidably mounted on the track girder, stop means for said base at the outer end of each of said track-girders, each of said davits having an arm perpendicular to its base, a cable'fixed to the end of said last named arm, a running pulley and guide pulleys on said last named arm, said girder and said fixed support through which said cable passes in the order named, folding means for said cable and stop links limiting the outward movement of the hinged support whereby on the release of the cable the davit will slide down the girder and owing to the new position of the centre of gravity the girder track will revolve outwardly on its pivot into alinement with the pivoted support and then the pivoted support and girder as a unit will swing outward until held by the stoplinks.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a gang-board is hingedly supported, a frame carrying saidgang board and means connecting said frame to the track girders to move therewith.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, in which the davits have two pairs of rollers journaled in the inboard end of their base, and a roller mounted on the pivot of each track girder on which '7. In the device as claimed in claim 1, a steelcable connecting the track girders at the top, a

, gangboard and a frame therefor, fixed to said cable, a pivot shaft attached to the deck, on which said gang board and frame swing, stops on said frame to limit its movement to the range between a inclination to the deck and perpendicular to the deck, a system of pivoted rods connecting the gang board to the frame and forming a. hand rail.

8. The device as claimed in claim 3, in which midway between the davits a gang board and a frame therefor are pivotally attached to the vessel, 2. stanchion detachably connected to the inboard end. of each girder, a steel cable supporting the gang board frame connecting said stanchion, and means for releasing each stanchion from its girder when the girder comes into vertical alignment with its pivoted support.

9. In a devicefor launching boats from a ves sel, inboard and outboard supports, girders pivotally mounted at fixed points on said outboard supports, and resting on said inboard supports to have an outboard inclination of substantially 30 to the deck of the vessel, davits mounted slidably on said girders and extending at right angles thereto, cables for suspending a boat from said davits, pulleys through which said cables pass on the davit, the girder and the inboard supports, means for winding the cable and for releasing the same, whereby on release of the winding means the davit will slide to the outboard end of the girder and the girder will swing on its pivot to a position at right angles to the deck.

and means limiting said movement of said outboard support.

. 11. In the device as claimed in claim 1, a gang board and means for automatically swinging said gang board into operation when the davit is swung outboard.

12. Automatic device for launching boats from a vessel, comprising a vertical support having its lower end secured to the deck, a girder having its inboard end resting on the support and its outboard end pivotally secured to said deck at a fixed point, said girder being inclined substantially 30 to the deck, a davit having one arm slidably supported on said girder and a second arm perpendicular thereto, pulleys on the arms of the davit, on the girder and on the vertical support, a free pulley having a cable attached thereto running on said pulleys in the order named, a winch to which said cable is attached, means acting as a stop to said davit in its sliding movement and means acting as a stop to said girder when it reaches a vertical position.

ANTONINO PAMPINEILA. 

